The Choice
by Passionsfan24
Summary: Ethan initially chooses to follow his conscience to Gwen, but which will he choose to follow in the end: his conscience to Gwen, his wife, or his heart to Theresa, his true love?
1. The Search

**The Choice **

**Chapter 1**

**Theresa knew that she and Little Ethan were gonna have to hurry if they were gonna catch up to Ethan at the airpo**rt.

"**_How could he leave to rescue our daughter without telling me?"_ Theresa thought.**

**When Theresa arrived at the airport, she took Little Ethan by the hand and they ran to the terminal where Ethan's plane was preparing to take off.**

**"Whew!" Theresa exclaimed in relief when she saw that Ethan's plane was still there.**

**"Wait a second," Ethan said as Theresa and Little Ethan boarded the private jet. "What do you think you're doing?"**

"**We're going with you to rescue Jane," Theresa replied. "But in the meantime, I really need to talk to you about the decision you're gonna have to make once we get to the Crane Compound."**

"**What decision, Theresa?" Ethan asked.**

**"You know very well what decision, Ethan," Theresa replied. "You're gonna have to choose between me and Gwen once and for all."**

"**Theresa, not now," Ethan said. "As soon as I know that Fox and the others are all right, I'll make my decision. Until then, I would appreciate it if you would stay off my back about it."**

"**No, Ethan," Theresa replied. "I will _NOT_ get off your back about this. I need to know who you're gonna spend the rest of your life with—me or Gwen?"**

"**Look, Theresa, I told you I'd make my decision once we get to the Crane Compound," Ethan replied. "Could we please talk about something else until then?"**

"**Okay," Theresa replied. "We can discuss Gwen's upcoming trial."**

"**Theresa," Ethan said. "There will be no trial because I got my dad to drop all the charges before I left."**

"**WHAT!" a fuming Theresa replied. "YOU HAD ABSOLUTELY NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER TO DO THAT!"**

"**Theresa, she was out of her mind!" Ethan replied.**

"**I could care less about her mental state, Ethan," Theresa said. "She has _ALWAYS_ been unstable—both mentally _AND_ emotionally, okay, so don't even try to play on my sympathy because I have none for Gwen. I know this sounds harsh, but it's the truth."**

"**Theresa, please—" Ethan began.**

"**Please what, Ethan?" Theresa answered back. "The second Gwen found out you were in love with me she made it her life's mission to make my life a living nightmare."**

"**Come on, Theresa," Ethan said. "You don't really believe that do you?"**

"**Yes, I do," Theresa replied. "In fact, I plan on refiling _ALL_ the charges against Gwen as soon as I return to Harmony. I also plan on obtaining a permanent restraining order keeping Gwen and her mother from coming within one thousand feet of me _AND_ my children."**

"**You wouldn't really do that, would you Theresa?" Ethan asked.**

"**Yes, Ethan, I would," Theresa replied. "And that's just for starters. I know Gwen will use the insanity defense at her trial, but it won't matter if she does or doesn't. If she uses the insanity defense, she's going to the state mental hospital; furthermore, if she doesn't, she's going to the state penitentiary. Either way, she's up the river, Ethan, and you know it. As for Rebecca, I plan on charging her with aiding and abetting a known fugitive, accessory to kidnapping, and harassment. That way, I won't have to worry about any interference from her, because she'll be going away for a long, long time."**

**Moments later, the jet arrived at its destination. Once it came to a standstill, Ethan, Theresa, and Little Ethan made their way to the Crane Compound.**


	2. At the Compound

**Chapter 2 **

_**Meanwhile, inside the Crane Compound**_

"**Gwen, you've got to do the right thing," Katherine said. "You've got to give Jane back to Theresa and turn yourself in to the authorities."**

"**No way am I gonna let Theresa win, Katherine," Gwen replied. "She already took my son and my daughter away from me. I am not about to let her take anything else from me. I swear, Katherine, if I ever see that man-stealing, baby-killing tramp again, I'll kill her—and this time I'll make sure she's dead."**

"**What was that, Gwen?" Theresa asked as she walked up to Gwen and Katherine in the hallway outside the door to Jane's room. "You're gonna kill me, huh? Go ahead and try, but it's another charge of attempted murder for every time you do—that is, if I decide to press charges."**

"**What are you even doing here?" Gwen asked. "Why is Little Ethan with _you_?"**

"**Ethan spoke to Judge Reilly and got my parental rights re-instated." Theresa replied. "Not only that, but I had a DNA test done on Little Ethan, and guess what? Ethan is his biological father, not Julian. Do you know what this means, Gwen? This means that your adoption of Little Ethan is now null and void."**

"**I don't understand," Gwen replied.**

"**Let me put it to you this way," Theresa began. "When you adopted my son, Julian signed away rights that he never had. Not only that, but Ethan got Judge Reilly to re-instate my parental rights. Because Julian signed away rights he never had and I now have mine back, you no longer have any rights to my son whatsoever. Now, if you'll excuse me, my little girl is crying and she needs me."**

**With that, Theresa went to check on her daughter, Little Ethan following close behind.**

"**I know she didn't just go in there and put her filthy hands on my baby!" Gwen exclaimed angrily as she entered Jane's room. "I swear I am gonna kill her!"**

"**Gwen, wait!" Katherine begged. "Please think about what you're doing!"**

"**I _AM_ thinking about what I'm doing," Gwen retorted as she picked up a pair of scissors and inched closer and closer to Theresa, scissors raised high in the air. "I'm thinking that I should have done this a long time ago!"**

"**THERESA, LOOK OUT!" Katherine screamed.**

"**MOMMY!" Little Ethan screamed as Gwen prepared to plunge the scissors into Theresa's back.**

**Gwen hesitated just long enough for Theresa to put Jane back into her crib; however, she soon realized that she shouldn't have hesitated at all.**

**As soon as Theresa put Jane back into her crib, she spun around, picked up a heavy vase, and smacked Gwen on the side of her head, thereby rendering her unconscious.**

**As Gwen hit the floor with a thud, Jane became frightened and began to scream. Theresa turned around, scooped her daughter up, and began to sing to her.**

**At that moment, Ethan walked in—followed by Fox—to see Gwen unconscious on the floor, Katherine trying to revive her, and Theresa cradling Jane in her arms.**

"**What happened in here?" Ethan asked.**

"**Gwen tried to kill me again, but I knocked her out before she could," Theresa replied.**

"**It's true, Ethan," Katherine stated. "Gwen was just about to stab Theresa with a pair of scissors."**

"**Daddy!" Little Ethan cried. "That bad lady tried to hurt Mommy."**

"**Don't worry, little guy," Ethan said. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to your mommy."**

"**Now that we've established that everyone is okay, Ethan, it's time for you to make your decision," Theresa said. "So, who's it gonna be? Me, a woman who has already given you two beautiful children and can give you as many more as you want, or Gwen, a woman who is barren and can't give you any? Don't get me wrong, okay. I know she tried to give you children; however, the two she tried to give you both died at birth. Apparently her body isn't able to produce any live offspring—it's almost like a Bride of Dracula sort of thing if you think about it; anyway, maybe Gwen's DNA just isn't compatible with yours, Ethan."**

"**Theresa, look," Ethan replied. "This decision is hard enough—wait a minute, did you say _two_ children?"**

"**Yes, Ethan, I did," Theresa replied. "Little Ethan is your son, not Julian's, and I have the DNA results to prove it."**

"**Well, this does complicate matters," Ethan said. "However, it does not change the fact that I am still married to Gwen. I guess what I'm saying is that as much as I would _love_ to spend my life with Theresa, I can't. I'm choosing to stay with Gwen."**

"**But Ethan—" Theresa began.**

"**No buts, Theresa," Ethan replied. "I've made up my mind and that's that. There _is_ something I need for you and Gwen to do, however."**

"**What's that?" Theresa and Gwen asked in unison.**

"**I need the two of you to call a truce and stop this war between you." Ethan replied.**

"**Okay, Ethan," Gwen said. If it'll make you happy, I'll stop."**

"**Thank you, Gwen," Ethan replied. "Theresa, what about you?"**

"**I'm sorry, Ethan," Theresa replied. "I'm afraid I can't agree to truce for two reasons. First, I will _never_ give up on our love nor will I _ever_ give up on having a future with you. Second, I don't trust Gwen and Rebecca to stick to it. Before you say anything, Ethan, let me finish. You and I both know that as soon as we get home, Gwen and Rebecca are gonna try and cook up some kind of crazy scheme to hurt me and our kids. Ethan, they'll go behind your back if they have to, and you know it."**

"**I hate to break up this friendly little negotiation," said Fox. "But we really need to get out of here before the guards come back."**

"**Fox is right," Katherine said. "We do need to go."**

"**Whoa—wait just a minute!" Theresa demanded. "Katherine is _NOT_ going back to harmony with us. All she's gonna do is steal my father from my family again."**

"**Well, we'll just have the pilot drop you off somewhere in Europe where Alistair can't find you," Fox suggested.**

"**Thank you, Fox," Katherine replied. "I'd like that."**

**With that, everyone left the compound and made their way back to the airstrip and boarded the awaiting jet. After a short time, the pilot make a pit stop in Zurich to drop Katherine off and take on some fuel. Afterward, the jet took off once more, bearing the rest of the group safely back to Harmony.**


	3. The Return to Harmony

**Chapter 3**

****

**_Somewhere over the Atlantic_**

**As soon as everyone was asleep, Theresa got up and quietly made her way to the telephone near the cockpit door. Once there, she closed the curtain, picked up the phone, and dialed the Harmony Police Department.**

"**Harmony Police Department, this is Chief Bennett speaking," Chief Bennett said. "How may I help you?"**

"**Chief Bennett, this is Theresa," Theresa replied in a whisper. "I just wanted to let you know that we're on our way back to Harmony and that I want all the charges re-filed against Gwen. I also want her arrested as soon as this plane lands."**

"**All right, Theresa," Chief Bennett replied. "I'll have every available squad car—including mine—waiting at the airport. I'll also let everyone know you all are on your way back."**

"**Thank you, Chief Bennett," Theresa replied. "And thanks again."**

"**_When this plane lands in Harmony, Gwen is gonna get the shock of her life,"_ Theresa thought to herself as she made he way back to her seat.**

"**Theresa, where were you just now?" Ethan asked.**

"**I was just calling home to let everyone know that we were on our way back to Harmony," Theresa replied.**

"**Who did you call exactly?" Ethan asked.**

"**I called your dad, Ethan," Theresa replied. "He said that he would let everyone know that we were on our way back and that he would meet us at the airport."**

**Just then, the pilot announced that the jet was about to land. By this time, everyone was awake, and they fastened their seatbelts in preparation for landing.**

"**I can't wait to get back to the mansion," Gwen said. "The first thing I'm gonna do when I get there is take a long, hot bath and then I'm going straight to bed."**

"**_No, you won't," _Theresa thought to herself as the jet touched down on the tarmac. _"As soon as you leave this plane, you're heading straight for the Harmony Jail where they've got a lovely cell with your name on it."_**

"**Well, everyone, now that the plane has stopped, shall we disembark?" Fox asked.**

"**Yes, let's get the heck off this plane," Gwen said as she made her way to the door.**

"**Yes, let's," Ethan replied.**

**With that, Gwen opened the door and stepped outside. She couldn't believe her eyes as she looked out over a sea of red and blue lights as patrol cars quickly surrounded the jet.**

"**What's going on here?" a bewildered Gwen asked. "Why are all these patrol cars here?"**

"**_To take you to your new home away from home, Gwen—" _Theresa thought to herself. _"—your permanent new home away from home."_**

"**Gwen Hotchkiss Winthrop," Chief Bennett said over the loudspeaker, "you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald on three separate occasions, escaping police custody, the kidnapping of Baby Jane Winthrop, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution for these crimes. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and WILL be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you."**

**As Chief Bennett continued to read Gwen her rights, Luis handcuffed Gwen and led her to an awaiting patrol car.**

"**You did this, didn't you, you little wench?" Gwen asked, angrily. "I'm gonna have you killed for this, do you hear me? Don't dare make the mistake of assuming that this is a bluff on my part, because I'm deadly serious. I would love nothing more than to dance on your dead, rotting carcass."**

"**Did all of you hear that?" Theresa asked Fox, Luis, and Ethan. "Fox, you, Ethan,and Luis are witnesses to the threat Gwen just made on my life. By the way, Gwen, I have it all on tape, and as soon as I get off this plane, I'm gonna head straight to the D.A. and give him this tape and file a restraining order against you and your mother, thereby keeping the both of you from coming within a thousand feet of me _and_ my children. Speaking of Rebecca, I want her arrested for aiding and abetting a known fugitive, being an accessory to kidnapping, and harassment. Luis, would you go and slap a pair of cuffs on her when you take Gwen away?"**

"**Nothing would give me greater pleasure," Luis replied. "Well, except to see a flock of vultures feeding on Alistair Crane's dead, rotting carcass. For now, however, I'll settle for helping to put Gwen and Rebecca away for the rest of their selfish, miserable lives."**

"**Thank you, Luis," Theresa replied. "Now, if you all will excuse me, I have to go. I have a couple of stops to make on my way home, and then I have to cook supper and get Little Ethan and Jane fed, bathed, and put to bed. Luis, Ethan, and Fox, I'll see you guys later. Gwen, I'll see _YOU_ at your arraignment."**

**With that, the group left the plane. Luis took Gwen and Rebecca to jail, and Theresa stopped by the D.A.'s office to drop off the tape and file a restraining order against Gwen and Rebecca. She then went to see woody Stump to file a lawsuit against Alistair, Julian, Gwen, and Rebecca for all the pain and suffering they caused her over the years. Once her errands were completed, Theresa went home for some much-needed R&R and to spend some quality time with both of her children.**


	4. Served

**Chapter 4**

_**That night, at the Crane Mansion**_

**Gwen and Rebecca were furious. They couldn't believe that Theresa actually had the nerve to have them arrested. They had never been more humiliated in their entire lives.**

"**I'm so glad we were able to post bail tonight, Mom," Gwen said.**

"**So am I," Rebecca replied. **

"**That girl has some nerve trying to have us locked up like _criminals_," Rebecca whined.**

"**I know, Mom," Gwen replied. "I mean, could it possibly get any worse?"**

**Just then, there was a knock at the front door.**

"**I'll get it," Gwen said.**

**She opened the door to find a court clerk standing there.**

"**Mrs. Winthrop?" the clerk asked.**

"**Yes, can I help you?" Gwen asked.**

"**Are the Cranes here too?" the clerk asked.**

"**Yes, they are," Gwen replied.**

"**Here," the clerk said, handing Gwen a large yellow envelope containing several sets of court papers. "You've all been served. Have a nice night, Ma'am."**

**With that, the court clerk turned and left, leaving a bewildered Gwen standing at the door.**

"**Me and my big mouth!" Gwen complained.**

"**What is it, Gwennie?" Rebecca asked. "Who was that at the door?"**

"**That, Mother, was a court clerk," Gwen replied. "He was just here to serve us with court papers."**

"**What kind of court papers?" Rebecca asked. "Who are they from?"**

"**I guess we're about to find out," Gwen replied as she studied the large yellow envelope in her hand.**

**Gwen was just about to open it when she noticed the small white envelope attached to it. Inside the envelope, Gwen found a note from Theresa. Gwen was beside herself with anger as she read aloud what Theresa had written:**

"_**Gwen,**_

_**If you think having criminal charges filed against you and being arrested were bad, you ain't seen nothin'. Inside the large envelope, you will find four sets of lawsuit papers—one set each for you, your mother, Julian, and Alistair. You'll also find two copies of a restraining order—a PERMANENT restraining order—that I filed against you and your mother in order to legally keep the two of you away from me and my two beautiful children. Don't even think about getting Ethan to help you, because to do so would be a conflict of interest for him. You see, he's married to you, yet I—your victim—am the mother of his children, and, contrary to what you may believe, he is still madly in love with me. Don't worry, he can't help me, either, for the same reason. Actually, you should worry because should Ethan leave you and return to me and his children, he WILL be able to help me.**_

_**By the way, Gwen, as far as Sarah, your son, and your ability to bear children go, you have only yourself to blame for those losses. You put your desire and desperation to hold onto Ethan ahead of Sarah's safety and welfare when you left the hospital—AGAINST THE DOCTOR'S ORDERS—to come after me. Gwen, you were so desperate to hold onto Ethan that you were willing to risk losing Sarah to do so. That mistake—which YOU made ALL BY YOURSELF—cost your daughter her life. Sarah's death isn't the only death you're responsible for—you're responsible for your son's death also. You see, when YOU stole my son from me, YOU set into motion the series of events that ended in the death of your son. Let's not forget your inability to bear children. Now, I am NOT accepting ANY responsibility for that, nor will I EVER accept ANY responsibility for that. You can't really blame ANYONE for that—it was nothing more than a tragic accident.**_

_**Oh, a couple more things and I'll be done. First, I know that you and your mother are the real culprits behind the tabloid scandal and I HAVE got the evidence to prove it. (In case you're wondering, I got the evidence from Alistair himself. You see, Alistair promised to help me out in this situation if I agreed to sleep with him. Well, I agreed, and when Alistair got into bed, I took his cigar cutter, got on top of him, held the cutter at the end of his "manhood," and threatened to cut it off—inch by inch—unless he agreed to help me out without holding me to my end of the bargain. Rather than spend the rest of his life unable to "perform," he agreed to do things my way. In other words, Alistair gave me the evidence I needed, and I didn't have to sleep with him to get it.) Guess what? Ethan will be the first person I'll inform. Second, I have extensively researched your family tree; well, your mother's side—the women in particular. I was just itching to know what's floating around in that part of your gene pool. I WILL let Ethan know what I've found, because, if anything, he deserves to know just what kind of family he married into—a long line of depraved, sociopathic sluts. As soon as I've informed Ethan, I'll send all the information I have on you and your mother to the very same tabloid the two of you used to destroy me and Ethan.**_

_**Well, I'm done writing. I have to go check on my two beautiful children. You know, it's too bad you're never gonna get to experience the joy of motherhood—it's absolutely amazing! At least Ethan's getting to experience the joy of fatherhood. Well, I guess I'll see you in court.**_

_** --Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald**_

_**P.S.: The bail hearing for you and your mother is tomorrow morning at 8:00 A.M. sharp. Enjoy your last night of freedom, because you'll NEVER have another one AS LONG AS YOU LIVE."**_

"**Oh, no!" Gwen gasped, horrified by the last bit of Theresa's note. "Mother, I'm done for! I'm about to lose everything—my husband, my freedom, my money, even my dignity, and it's all your fault. I should've let go of Ethan the very first time he told me he was in love with Theresa. If I had, none of this would be happening. I could have moved on, you know? I could have found a man who would've loved me—and ONLY me—and had the family I've so desperately wanted—but NO, you insisted that I stay and fight for Ethan. Well, you know what? Listening to you has cost me everything. I mean, I'm about to lose everything I hold dear to my heart, and I don't know how to stop it."**

"**Neither do I, Gwen," Rebecca replied. "Neither do I."**

_**Meanwhile, at the Lopez-Fitzgerald house**_

**Theresa was positively giddy. She had never been so happy before. She was dancing around the living room with Jane in her arms.**

"**I'm just so happy to have you back with me, safe and sound, Sweetheart," Theresa said to her precious baby daughter. "Someday very soon, your daddy will come back to us. There's nothing that will make him turn his back on us, not even that fake promise he made to Gwen."**

**Just then, the doorbell rang. Theresa stopped dancing long enough to answer the door.**

"**_I wonder who that could be at this time of night," _Theresa thought to herself as she opened the door. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw who was standing there.**

"**Ethan!" Theresa exclaimed. "I knew you'd come back!"**


	5. A Liar Exposed

**Chapter 5**

**Ethan stood there, confused by what Theresa had just said.**

**"Theresa," Ethan said. "I'm afraid you misunderstand the nature of my visit. I only came to check on you and the kids, that's all."**

**"Oh," Theresa replied. "Well, um, why don't you come in and make yourself comfortable. I have something to show you, and I need to set up my laptop so that I can. I'll only be a minute."**

**With that, Ethan went into the living room and proceeded to play with Little Ethan and Jane. Theresa went and got her laptop set up. At the last minute, Theresa decided to get her DVD camcorder and a tape recorder and set them up in case Ethan decided to bare his soul to her yet again.**

**_"I'm not going to wait for Ethan to decide," _Theresa thought to herself as she pressed the record button on the camera and the tape recorder. _"I know that if I could just get him to admit to me what's really in his heart, I'll have it on tape and I can finally get Gwen to see the truth: that she is the BIGGEST fool who ever lived."_**

**Theresa then decided to change into something a bit more comfortable—a white, long-sleeve dress shirt that Ethan had left long ago. The shirt had been a favorite of his back then. When she was done changing, she called Ethan upstairs to her room.**

**"Ethan, I'm ready," Theresa said. "You can come up now."**

**"On my way," Ethan replied.**

**He made his way upstairs, and upon entering Theresa's bedroom, he felt his heart stop for a split second and his jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw Theresa in his shirt.**

**"Easy, Tiger," Theresa said to Ethan as she inserted the disc into her computer's DVD+RW drive. "Right now, all we're going to do is view the information on this DVD. What's on this DVD is a set of files that includes video and audio footage, as well as still photos and other documents that pertain to your wife. The information on this DVD will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt just who—and what—you're married to."**

**"Now Theresa—" Ethan began.**

**"Ethan," Theresa replied. "Your wife is a spoiled, selfish, cruel, devious pretender who only cares for herself and what makes her happy. The information on this DVD proves it."**

**"All right," Ethan replied. "Since you insist so strongly, I'll watch it."**

**"Here we go," Theresa said as she clicked play.**

**Two and a half hours later, they had viewed everything on the DVD.**

**Ethan sat in disbelief, suddenly realizing that the woman he married was nothing more than a conniving, deceitful bitch and that he had been had in the worst way. It suddenly became very clear to him that his entire relationship with Gwen was nothing but a meaningless sham. What really made him sick was the realization that Gwen was only with him for his occupation and financial status, and that she _had_ gotten herself pregnant with Sarah on purpose to keep him from going back to the real love of his life: Theresa.**

**"Theresa," Ethan said. "I am so sorry I didn't believe you about Gwen before. What really makes me sick is that I have to go back to the mansion and face her."**

**"You don't have to go back there tonight, Ethan," Theresa replied. "Why don't you stay here with me and the kids?"**

**"There's no place else I'd rather be," Ethan replied as he leaned in to kiss Theresa. "I love _you_, Theresa, with all of my heart. _You_ are the mother of my children. _You_ are the woman I want to spend my life with. _You_ are the woman I want to make love to every day for the rest of my life. _You_ are my other half, my better half, my soulmate. _You_ complete me."**

"**I wouldn't have it any other way," Theresa replied. "Now, make love to me."**

"**With _great_ pleasure," Ethan replied.**


	6. Victory and Loss

**Chapter 6**

****

_The next morning at the Lopez-Fitzgerald house_

Following a steamy shower with Ethan, Theresa hurriedly dressed for Gwen's bail hearing. She wanted to arrive at the courthouse early enough to speak with the D.A. to personally request that Gwen and Rebecca be remanded to the custody of the Harmony P.D. _without_ bail.

Upon arrival at the courthouse, Theresa made her way to the courtroom upstairs while Ethan made his way to the marriage license office to file for an annulment. Once all the paperwork was drawn up and in order, Ethan made his way upstairs to join Theresa.

The bail hearing went off without a hitch, and the judge decided to go ahead and hear Theresa's case for her lawsuit as well. It didn't take the judge long at all to order that Gwen and Rebecca be remanded to the custody of the Harmony P.D. without bail, but also that Gwen and Rebecca's trust funds--as well as anything else of value they currently owned--be rewarded to Theresa as restitution for all the pain and suffering they caused her over the last few years. The judge also awarded _EVERYTHING_ owned by Alistair Crane to Theresa as restitution for all the pain and suffering he caused her and her family over the last two decades.

"Well, Ethan, you are now looking at the richest woman in the world," Theresa said. "And I'm not referring to what the judge just awarded me."

"You're not?" Ethan asked. "Then what are you referring to?"

"Ethan," Theresa replied. "I have Christ watching over me; I have you, my children, my parents, my brothers, my sister, my best friend, and a whole host of other family and friends who love and support me no matter what. All that alone makes me the richest woman in the world."

"I love you so much, Theresa," Ethan replied as he held her close. "Look what I have right here."

Theresa saw that Ethan was holding a manilla envelope.

"What's in there?" Theresa inquired, pointing at the envelope.

"My annulment papers to Gwen," Ethan replied. "I was just about to run them to her."

"I have a better idea," Theresa replied.

"I'm all ears," Ethan replied. "What's this idea of yours?"

"How does a family picnic at the beach sound?" Theresa asked.

"Absolutely delightful," Ethan replied.

"Well, you just hand me that envelope and get on over to the mansion and grab your swimsuit and towel. I'm gonna head home and grab my swimsuit and get the kids ready. I'll meet you back at the mansion in an hour."

When Theresa arrived at her house, she immediately went upstairs to her room to get the copies of the DVD and audio tape she made of Ethan baring his soul to her the night before. Theresa placed the envelope along with a photo of herself with Ethan, Little Ethan, and Jane. On the back of the photo, Theresa had written the following message to Gwen:

_"Gwen, _

Take a good look at this photo, because I want you to see how things are gonna be from now on. Ethan is now back where he belongs--with me and our children.

Face it Gwen, you've lost. You're NEVER gonna see Ethan or the kids again. I'll be sure to send you photos of my happy little family just to remind you of what you screwed yourself out of.

Have a nice life!

--Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald"

Once she sealed the envelope, Theresa changed into her swimsuit and got the kids ready to go to the beach.

On the way to the mansion, Theresa stopped by the jail to give Gwen the envelope.

Theresa left the envelope with Sam, along with instructions that Gwen would need access to a television set, a DVD player, and an audiocassette player. Theresa then left to meet up with Ethan at the mansion.

Sam took the envelope to Gwen along with the necessary equipment. Once the equipment was set up, Gwen watched the DVD and listened to the tape. Afterward, she read the message on Theresa's family photo and signed the enclosed annulment papers.

After Sam left with the annulment papers and all the equipment, Gwen took a pen and a piece of paper and wrote:

_"To Anyone Who Cares: _

My life is now over. I have lost everything in my life that ever mattered to me, and I don't want to go on living any longer. It's just too painful without Ethan.

To Ethan: I'm so sorry for all the pain and suffering that I've caused you, and I'm so very sorry I killed our daughter.

To Mother: I'm sorry I ever listened to you. Listening to you is what got me where I am now. I hope you're happy with the way things have turned out. You will miss me when I'm gone.

To everyone else: I'm sorry I was such a b!tch.

Goodbye forever!

--Gwen"

With that, Gwen placed the note where it would easily be found and then fashioned a noose out of her bed sheets.

Once the noose was finished, Gwen tied the other end of the sheet to the foot of her bed and tossed the noose over a pipe going across the ceiling.

At the last minute, Gwen picked up Theresa's DVD and broke it. Standing on the bed, Gwen placed the noose around her neck and the cut her wrists open with a shard of the broken DVD. She then stepped off the bed and hanged herself.


End file.
